A Leather Box and a Scarlet Ribbon
by PhoenixFlame53
Summary: Layton asks Claire to dinner on a sunlit Valentine's afternoon. (Oneshot for Valentine's Day, Layton x Claire, pure and simple fluff.)


Here is a short one-shot for Valentine's Day! I was going to write for a different fandom, but I couldn't think of any ideas and ended thinking of our dear professor and Claire in university. I hope you enjoy it, and please by all means review if you did :3

* * *

Hershel stood silently outside the laboratory building, unable to process any of the sounds and the general hubbub around him, gently fixing his small red hat atop his head. Two hours had passed monotonously in this way, him straightening his waistcoat or brushing some dirt off his sleeve, blushing somewhat nervously at the thought of what he was about to do. It was extremely challenging for him to ask such an important question (he knew in actuality it wasn't as important as he made it out to be, but that didn't matter) and he was not going to ruin it. Such a cantankerous thing, love. It was something strange, yet something pure, and the woman in particular Hershel was courting didn't remind him of any puzzle he had ever come across.

Hershel was reminded, as he was most of the time, about that time about a month ago. They were speaking together in the gardens of Gressenheller University, undisturbed by any human presence, the foliage creating a beautiful and serene atmosphere for their conversation. Claire had handed him a letter; a letter which, he discovered when he opened it at home, was a letter of confession, but he did not know that yet. In a calm state he asked, pray tell, if she would tell him what the letter conveyed while he was there- and then he felt soft lips touch his cheek, and felt his world in a blur of happiness and slight embarrassment change, for the most part.

Today it was Valentine's Day, one of the most important public holidays in the English calendar, but for him the most personal. It was with a slight pang of nervousness that he remembered the bulge in his waistcoat pocket was a small box of chocolates and a note, a note that contained something he could never express through words without mumbling or forgetting something, a note which explained his predicament- a small note written in small, curled handwriting that asked Claire Foley if she would be honoured enough to go with him to a restaurant that evening. Hershel knew that Claire had been working overtime at the laboratory due to excess paperwork and filing that needed doing, so she most likely had no plans today, however he couldn't deny the possibility she was too busy.

There was no time for him to think more on this, however, as his distant gaze spotted a small white shape waving at him before running over and wrapping their arms around his waist, burying their head in his shoulder. Hershel looked down with a slight smile to see Claire, her light ginger hair against the red sleeve of his waistcoat, placing his hand gently on her back and humming a little to himself as they stood in a comfortable silence.

When Claire stood back up, she fixed some of her hair behind her ears a little before smiling again at Hershel and looking him in the eyes, causing him to momentarily blush in the moment.

"Hershel, I didn't think you would wait for me today." Claire tilted her head to the side slightly, her brown eyes showing a small yet fervid sparkle. "Didn't I say I would be working late?"

"It's only two o'clock and I have no classes left today, Claire. Besides, a true gentleman always waits on a lady, however long she may take." Hershel wondered if that was the right thing to say in reply to her comment, but before he could say something else and change the topic, he felt Claire's hands on his scarf, gently taking it off. "C-Claire. May I ask what you are-"

"Oh, I'm only retying it for you, silly." Claire stood tiptoed and pecked Hershel playfully on the nose before returning to her original position and wrapping the scarf around his heated face. Hershel stood in shock for a moment until she was done, only speaking once he remembered the real reason he waited for Claire.

"Oh, Claire! I have something for you." Hershel reached into his waistcoat pocket and pulled out the box of chocolates tied with a scarlet ribbon, handing it to Claire.

"What's this?"

"Open it and see," said Hershel, and he watched with expectant eyes as she pulled out the ribbon from its bow and opened the box, her eyes going wide as she saw the variety of chocolate truffles inside. "Do you like them, Claire?"

Claire laughed. "Of course I like them, Hershel. I love them! It's such a lovely gift, giving that it's..." Her cheeks went a little red at the thought of Valentine's Day. Claire did have a present in mind for her sweetheart, but right now she could not afford it, and she wanted to save the surprise for after he became a fully-fledged professor after all. The beautiful, sleek top hat in the shop window would have to wait a little while longer, and Hershel would have to make do with a card and a leather-bound journal for her gift to him.

Hershel took the other thing out of his pocket and handed it to Claire. "Here, read this."

"A letter, Hershel? Why don't you tell me what it says right now?"

"My, Claire..." Hershel's gaze averted towards the pavement beneath him. "I don't think I can, without, you see, without becoming nervous." Claire looked at Hershel somewhat suspiciously before laughing and opening the envelope, taking out the note within.

"Alright, then. Should I read what it says?"

"If you'd like to, by all means."

Claire pretended to clear her throat in the manner Andrew Schrader did in their lectures, getting Hershel to chuckle under his breath and smile warmly. "It says: _Dearest Claire, it is Valentine's Day today and I know you will like these chocolate truffles, but I have something to ask of you. It would make my day- no, my whole month- if you were to come with me to Roullet's, that one restaurant you mentioned you had wanted to go to some time ago, this evening; as my partner, my valentine, and my date._"

Both Claire and Hershel were red in the face at this point, but still Claire forged on.

"_I know this is on rather short notice, so if you cannot attend I understand, but I hope with all of my heart you will be the woman next to me tonight on this beautiful Valentine's Day. I also understand if you do not want to go at all, and this may seem a little sudden, but I cannot bear not asking you at all. Just tell me what you decide and I'll be prepared either way. Yours, Hershel..._"

Claire grinned after a few moments of silence, holding the letter close in her hand as she embraced Hershel in a hug, her head on his shoulder. "Oh, Hershel! Of course I'll go with you! Why ever would you think I wouldn't want to?"

Hershel had wrapped his arms around Claire's back and let out a breath of relief. "It seems I was worried over nothing, Claire."

"Nothing, indeed!" Claire let go of Hershel after a while, giving him a small squeeze first to indicate she was finished, and touched her feet to his, reaching for Hershel's hands and taking them in her own. "Formal?"

"Very."

"Wine?"

"However you'd like it."

Claire thought for a while before speaking again. "A handsome gentleman to lead me in?"

"...Only if you want him to."

Claire reached up and brought his face to hers in the moment, smiling through the small yet loving kiss, closing her eyes, and opening them when she pulled away. "I love you, Hershel. You do know that, don't you?"

Hershel beamed, his eyes meeting hers. "Of course."

* * *

That night, as they approached the door of Roullet's and stood together in front of the building, Hershel couldn't help but look, awestruck, at his partner. Claire looked the very picture of a lady, wearing a stunning sapphire gown, her fiery hair flowing behind her. Hershel, on the other hand, had chosen out his best suit and tie, yet he felt as ordinary as the passers-by on the other side of the street. Nothing could take away these moments from him, save perhaps Claire's voice speaking his name.

"Hershel? Hello?" Claire smiled at his blank expression. "Hershel. You're staring at me."

When he realised what he was doing Hershel was horrified. He should not have been staring! That was rude of him! He thought it was best to apologise in full, but he was too embarrassed, and so settled with a small, "I'm sorry, Claire. I didn't mean to stare at you." Hershel's gaze went to the ground, then back into Claire's welcoming eyes."You look beautiful, Claire."

Claire blushed more than Hershel was already, a small smile forming on her lips again. "Thank you, Hershel."

And the two of them made their way into the restaurant, her hand on his arm, and Hershel felt as if she would never leave him as long as he would live, as if she held him together, as if he would never not appreciate her being there.

He felt truly important, for one of the first times in his life.


End file.
